Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group in July heard from District 1 Councilmember Barbara Bry, and discussed Sports Arena lease extensions and a recent agreement to explore converting the Navy’s Old Town site into a transportation hub.

A 2020 mayoral candidate, Bry addressed City issues and fielded questions from Midway residents and business owners.

“I wasn’t prepared for what I found at City Hall,” said Bry. “City Hall is a mess.”

Concerning housing densities and parking requirements in transportation corridors, Bry said: “We need to make sure the City claims a role in land use. I believe strongly in the value of local planning groups. In my mind local planning groups are the basis of our democracy. Local planning is best done by us.”

Regarding parking, Bry, an entrepreneur from the tech world and a former journalist, said: “You can’t stop people from having cars. But you don’t want them parked on the street impacting neighborhoods.”

If elected mayor, Bry said part of her vision is to “create a tech center downtown. The tech and biotech worlds create high-paying jobs.”

On July 10, Mayor Kevin Faulconer was joined by regional transportation planning agency the San Diego Association of Governments, and Navy Region Southwest, to announce signing of a memorandum of understanding to explore redevelopment of Naval Base Point Loma Old Town Complex. The goal is to modernize the Navy’s physical presence in San Diego, and improve transit connections to the airport.

Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group chair Cathy Kenton noted the possibility of turning the Navy’s Old Town site into a transportation hub serving the airport “impacts this district more than everyone else.”

Kenton said the mayor’s office assured her that converting the Navy’s Old Town site is strictly just an option and a talking point at this stage.

Noted Muska Laiq, representing Naval Base Point Loma: “This (MOU) is not a contract or an agreement. It’s merely exchanging information and having conversations. It does not commit the Navy, or SANDAG, to make any agreement.”

“I personally think going further down toward the Airport’s Car Rental Center would be a much better site for [the City],” said Kenton. “I would also like to find a way for this community to be more a part of what goes into making this decision.”

Added Kenton: “The Navy has also said they want to be good neighbors. We’re taking them at their word. We have to have a very active role in how we mitigate (potential) impacts.”

Staffer Josh Coyne from District 2’s office said a request for proposals is being issued for Pechanga Arena San Diego (formerly Sports Arena).

“The RFP is exclusively for the Sports Arena site including the parking lot,” Coyne said. “It’s for a three-year term to determine who’s going to operate the arena while we figure out what happens next.”

In other action:

• Kenton noted the notion of using nearly $150,000 collected from former business improvement district money, which Midway-Pacific Highway Community Planning Group controls, to be put toward improvements for Midway’s Fire Station, has been scuttled. “They (City) said those funds cannot be used to fund improvements to City-owned property,” she said.

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